This one backs time up a little bit to right when the alarm goes off, so it's happening concurrently with the last chapter. :)

Bonus points if you know who Hoist is quoting when he talks about declaring a medical emergency. Hint: I'm also a Star Trek fan. ;)

Chapter 17: Skystorm's POV

I paced the hallway, glaring at the walls as if they were to blame. Fine, Riella. Fine. You can insist that I'm falling for him. And I can pretend we never had that conversation.

The red alert alarm sent me scrambling for cover before I realized it wasn't the air-raid siren. Hope no one saw that. I started running toward my assigned battle position – communications – when I realized something.

Hyperjump was still in the medbay! Other Autobots would know what they were supposed to do, but he'd only just arrived. What if he thought he was supposed to go fight? What if he got hurt worse?

Blaster could handle communications just fine without me. I turned and sprinted for the medbay.

My processor was already panicking about the many ways Hyperjump could have gotten himself injured more when I skidded through the medbay door and almost knocked myself out against someone's shoulder plating.

"Whoa, steady there, kiddo!" Hoist stopped my fall easily, setting me back upright with his hands resting on my shoulders. "What's wrong? Is someone hurt?"

"Don't know," I gasped. "Where's Hyperjump?"

Hoist looked back over his shoulder. "The flier kid? He's right over there. Ratchet sent me back to watch him just a few minutes ago, since, y'know, either he or Soundwave was followed here."

"Are you saying you think he's a traitor?" I gave him my best imitation of Prowl's death glare, which to my irritation just made him smile. "He didn't betray us!"

"Just obeying orders," Hoist chuckled and shook his head. "Take it easy, kiddo; your systems run any higher and I'm going to declare a medical emergency. You sure you don't have Vulcan hormones?"

I blushed as I realized what he meant. "Uh…No I don't. Can we talk about something else now?"

"I have a better idea. Go talk to your boyfriend, if you're not going to head into the communications room."

"He's not my boyfriend!" When Hoist just laughed, I huffed and stomped over in Hyperjump's direction. "Hi."

"Hey." He was sitting on the edge of his berth, staring at the floor. "Uh…about what I said…sorry."

"It's okay." I narrowed my optics. "Did Blue get on your case?"

He shook his head. "No. But Riella sure did."

"I'm sorry." I sat down next to him. "She read you the riot act, huh?"

"What?"

I sighed. "Human term. Was she upset?"

"Kind of." Hyperjump straightened up and looked around. "Did you hear that?"

I shrugged. "No…probably just battle sounds…"

"No. It was closer." His optics suddenly widened. "LOOK OUT!"

I whirled around to see Hoist on the floor, pinned under an oversized cyber-cat. A single red optic focused on Hyperjump and I, and a low growl rumbled from somewhere in its chest.

"Ravage…" Hyperjump whispered. "Don't move a cable."